About Botanica

Artisans of Great Nutrition

Our nutritional roots began in distributing natural health products. Every year, our team met with farmers, suppliers and health experts from around the world, all touting the latest and greatest ingredients, processes and health information. But we learned what really makes a superior nutritional product. Rather than the do-it-yourself approach that many companies take, we do the research for you and find the experts in each field. We’ve curated the best of the best. We partner with Nutrition Artisans – experts at creating each one of Botanica’s herbs and superfoods products.

We refer to our product formulators and producers as Nutrition Artisans – master craftspeople and leaders in creating each one of the premium products we produce. So what does it take to become a Nutrition Artisan? We choose partners based on the following criteria:

Expertise

Botanica Nutrition Artisans have demonstrated leadership in their area of study and science-based results to back it up. Take David Winston for example, provider of Botanica Liquid Herbs. David is one of the most respected herbalists in the world, one of the founders of the American Herbalists Guild and leader of a world-renowned herbal studies program, the Herbal Therapeutics’ School of Botanical Medicine in the US.

Planting & Harvesting

For each Botanica Nutrition Artisan, every step is carefully considered and controlled. The condition of the soil and origin of the seeds are matched for optimal growing conditions. Our ingredients originate from smaller, trusted sources and whenever possible, are wildcrafted or certified organic. A great example is our organic turmeric grown in the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica. Our Nutrition Artisans spent years conditioning the soil with organic compost and cover crops, and retain full control over turmeric seed selection all the way through to the shelf.

Making

There’s no shortcut to quality. Our Nutrition Artisans are committed to making the world’s purest and most functional medicinal plants, herbs and superfoods. All of our formulations are rooted in traditional plant medicine and incorporate the whole plant, not just parts of it. There’s no better example of this attention to detail than Nutrition Artisan Dr. Ohhira. His whole food probiotic is fermented for three to five years, and includes a practice of daily prayer and classical music to further enhance the vitality of the probiotics.

Relationships

We just want to work with good people. The type of people you can share a good kombucha with. So we take the time to cultivate the right relationships with the best partners in the world, like our Nutrition Artisans at Kefiplant who make our Daily Fermented Herbs. They take months, not days or weeks like other kombucha makers, to take advantage of the full fermentation cycle.

We know your goal is to achieve your best health through a natural, mindful approach to wellness. You don’t do fads or believe in quick fixes and neither do we. We believe it’s not overnight changes or one-size fits all solutions but a steady long-term approach. And that’s the same way we view our Nutrition Artisans. We hope you will spend some time getting to know more about our ingredients and partners.

The Botanica Promise

Whole Plant Ingredients

We carefully curate the best ingredients from around the world – always whole herbs and ingredients, never isolates or synthetics. And we don’t add any fillers, artificial flavours, preservatives or colours.

Rigorous Craft Process

We partner with Nutrition Artisans who take pride in every detail – from where our ingredients are sourced, how they are grown and how they are made – all to ensure the best absorption, the best bioavailability, the highest concentration and the greatest purity and potency.

Herbal Traditions

We use herbs and superfoods that have seen centuries of traditional use, perfected over time.

Partners in Good Health

We know your goal is to achieve your best health through a natural, mindful approach to wellness. You don’t do fads or believe in quick fixes and neither do we. We believe it’s not overnight changes or one-size-fits-all solutions, but a steady long-term approach. Your health journey is unique and needs to be adapted to your needs – we just add a bit of inspiration and education along the way (and a few great herbs and superfoods too!) Botanica’s philosophy is to bring the highest quality natural health products to people just like you, in a manner that upholds the values of environmental and social responsibility.

Meet the Team

Botanica’s team of nutritionists, naturopaths, herbalists & customer service representatives are always here to help!

Customer Team

Botanica’s team of product experts are here to help answer your questions.

Alicia Tobin, Registered Holistic Nutritionist

Customer Engagement

Vanessa Skinner, Certified Nutritional Practitioner

Inside Sales Account Manager

Patricia Cournoyer

Inside Sales Account Manager

Par Vajihollahi

Digital Marketing Manager

Kelsey O’Connor

Digital Marketing Coordinator

Charity Parkinson, Clinical Herbalist & Holistic Nutritionist

Education Manager

Our Expert Family

Botanica’s expert team of nutritionists, naturopaths and herbalists are here to share inspiring health and nutrition information to help you on your journey to wellness.

Charity Parkinson

Clinical Herbalist

Charity is very passionate about natural medicine and has been studying in the field for almost 20 years, with experience in health food retail, sales, herbal education and clinical consultations. She is currently writing, researching and teaching people about herbal medicine and nutrition in Victoria, BC. Her belief in achieving and maintaining whole body wellness, comes through finding and supporting one’s unique balance between the mental, emotional, physical and spiritual aspects of self.

Orsha Magyar

Neuroscientist & Nutritionist

Orsha believes in going beyond the Bandaid for brain and mental health. As founder and CEO of NeuroTrition Inc., she and her team of neuroscientists, nutritionists and chefs bring neuroscience and nutrition to the table. Together. In the name of happier, healthier brains. http://neurotrition.ca/orsha

Orna Villazan, BSc, ND

Naturopathic Doctor

Orna earned her Bachelor’s degree in 1999 from McGill University in Anatomy and Cell Biology with a minor in Psychology. Wanting to learn more about the body’s innate ability to heal, she later continued her studies in Toronto at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine where she attended a four-year medical program in the science of natural healing.

Orna has worked extensively in the field of naturopathic medicine. For over 12 years she was in private practice in Montreal. She teaches at the École d’enseignement supérieur de naturopathie du Québec – teaching clinical laboratory and supervising students in their final internships.

Passionate about health promotion and committed to providing others with the tools they need to maintain a healthy and balanced life, she lectures regularly in corporate settings and public arenas on a number of health topics. As an educator with Tallgrass she has also worked with hundreds of retailers across the province.

Miranda Wiley

Naturopathic Doctor

Miranda began her career in natural health at 13 years old when she took a summer job at her local health food store. By age 14, she had decided on a career in Naturopathic Medicine. Her initial explorations into herbs, nutrition, and the human body were self-guided, and led her towards a BSc in Human Nutrition at the University of British Columbia. She later graduated from the Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine in British Columbia and currently practices in Vancouver, BC. Dr Wiley is passionate about empowering her patients to improve their health through food, and uses whole food nutrition as a cornerstone of her medical practice.

Lisa Kilgour

Registered Holistic Nutritionist

Lisa is on a mission to teach people how to heal themselves, to restore balance to body and well-being through whole food. A specialist in the complexities of the gut-brain connection and disordered eating issues, she knows, through her own experiences, how a healthier relationship with food can not only heal bodies, but restore energy and elevate mood. In 2010, Lisa was voted “BC’s Favourite Nutritionist” by Natural Health Care Canada, and continues to be in demand in her private practice, as an educator and professional speaker, and as a faculty member of the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition. https://lisakilgour.com/get-to-know-me/

Katolen Yardley

Medical Herbalist

Katolen is a Medical Herbalist and a member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists, currently in private practice in Vancouver and Port Moody, BC. She has been employed in the Holistic Health field since 1993, with clinical experience since 1995. Her personal interest in health lies with the emotional connection to wellness and disease. She specializes in women’s health issues, skin disease, digestive and nervous system disorders and believes in providing usable tools for healing through inspiration and education. http://katolenyardley.com/About_biography.htm

Bronwyn Hill

Naturopathic Doctor

Bronwyn is a Naturopathic Doctor with expertise in women’s health, fertility, pregnancy-specific care and pediatrics. Her passion is to support and nurture the growth of healthy, happy families. In addition to maintaining a family-based practice, Bronwyn is also an experienced wellness educator and speaker in both public and corporate audiences. She strives to empower others with the tools and knowledge that help to promote vibrant health and a sustainable lifestyle. http://bronwynhillnd.com/about-me

Facts About Botanica

Our home base is Vancouver, Canada - land of yogis, umbrellas, and same-day mountain and beach adventures.

More than 60% of our employees use green transportation methods for their daily commute.

We love drinking shots at work—oregano oil shots, of course!

Our team of 45 health-loving nutrition nerds is lead by our office pup, Milo.